After a kick-off delayed by 30 minutes due to a crash on the M5, Cheltenham were soon putting the visitors under pressure. Bertrand Cozic earned rave reviews for his performance against QPR in the midweek cup defeat, and the Frenchman was rewarded with his Football League debut.
Cozic repaid Gould’s faith in him by opening the scoring after 17 minutes. John Brough had a goal disallowed for offside, but there were no doubts as Cozic fired a shot past Brian Murphy after receiving the ball from Kayode Odejayi.
Grant McCann then scored his second goal in two games and it was another fine strike from the Northern Ireland international. McCann latched on to a throw-in and beat a defender before curling a shot inside Murphy’s right-hand post.
Damian Spencer missed a good chance to make it three, heading an Antony Griffin cross just wide as Cheltenham looked to be in total control.
James Thomas restored hope from the Welsh side after 35 minutes, finishing well after a good through ball from Roberto Martinez.
Gould gave Kevin Amankwaah, on loan from Bristol City, his first taste of action at Whaddon Road, replacing Antony Griffin with the right-wing back.
Amankwaah, who has impressed against Cheltenham for City in the past, made a promising start and put in some dangerous crosses. One of his crosses was handled by Swansea defender Kristian O’Leary and Grant McCann stepped up to fire home the resulting spot-kick.
Cheltenham’s newly restored two-goal advantage did not last long and Coates played in Trundle, who beat Book with a low shot into the far corner.
Damian Spencer and Odejayi began to link up well and Odejayi was denied by Murphy after bursting through at pace.
Swansea refused to give up however, and claimed an equaliser after 79 minutes, with Trundle scoring his second after Book had denied substitute Kevin Nugent.
Swansea then sent their huge band of travelling fans wild, by scoring a late winner and it was Trundle again. The former Wrexham forward completed his second half hat-trick, turning and finishing from close range after Cheltenham failed to clear a corner.
In an entertaining game for the neutral, neither manager will be happy with the defending on show, but Bobby Gould will be especially disappointed that Cheltenham were unable to kill the game off.